Rwanda

There is an estimated 2 – 5,000 pregnancies resulted from war rape (during 2004 genocide) , and that between 250,000 – 500,000 Rwandese women and girls had been raped during the genocide (Source: Special Rapporteur on Rwanda, 1996 report)

In 2009, The Law on prevention and punishment of Gender Based Violence was adopted by Rwanda, which makes marital rape illegal.

Tearfund Research Report (2010) found that:

Sexual violence is still taking place, although it is now happening less and without an ethnic bias.

The majority of post-genocide survivors of sexual violence, are sexually violated by someone they know and sexual violence within a marriage is common and accepted.

Survivors of sexual violence (SV) are stigmatised and discriminated against, although genocide SV survivors are more subject to such treatment than post-genocide SV survivors.

Church and community members often feel that though some churches do support survivors sometimes, the church does not really address SV and its consequences. They believe that the church should do so and will be particularly effective in doing so.

Genocide in Rwanda

Both Rwanda and Burundi have a history of Hutu and Tutsi conflicts. The ethnic divides between these two tribes were often used and enforced by governments who wanted to stay in power.

On 6 April 1994 the plane carrying the Rwandan and Burundian presidents were shot down by unknown assailants. This was the trigger for the Rwandan genocide (IPEP/OAU, 2000:117). Within three months 75% of the Tutsi population of Rwanda were killed (Weitsman, 2008:572). Hutus who opposed the genocide or helped/sheltered Tutsis were also killed. The estimates for how many Rwandans were killed during the genocide varies, but is estimated at around 800 000 people (Weitsman, 2008:572). A large numbers of Tutsis and some Hutu moderates were sexually violated during the armed conflict.

There is an estimated 2 – 5,000 pregnancies resulted from war rape (during 2004 genocide) , and that between 250,000 – 500,000 Rwandese women and girls had been raped during the genocide (Source: Special Rapporteur on Rwanda, 1996 report)

In 2009, The Law on prevention and punishment of Gender Based Violence was adopted by Rwanda, which makes marital rape illegal.

Tearfund Research Report (2010) found that:

Sexual violence is still taking place, although it is now happening less and without an ethnic bias.

The majority of post-genocide survivors of sexual violence, are sexually violated by someone they know and sexual violence within a marriage is common and accepted.

Survivors of sexual violence (SV) are stigmatised and discriminated against, although genocide SV survivors are more subject to such treatment than post-genocide SV survivors.

Church and community members often feel that though some churches do support survivors sometimes, the church does not really address SV and its consequences. They believe that the church should do so and will be particularly effective in doing so.

Genocide in Rwanda

Both Rwanda and Burundi have a history of Hutu and Tutsi conflicts. The ethnic divides between these two tribes were often used and enforced by governments who wanted to stay in power.

On 6 April 1994 the plane carrying the Rwandan and Burundian presidents were shot down by unknown assailants. This was the trigger for the Rwandan genocide (IPEP/OAU, 2000:117). Within three months 75% of the Tutsi population of Rwanda were killed (Weitsman, 2008:572). Hutus who opposed the genocide or helped/sheltered Tutsis were also killed. The estimates for how many Rwandans were killed during the genocide varies, but is estimated at around 800 000 people (Weitsman, 2008:572). A large numbers of Tutsis and some Hutu moderates were sexually violated during the armed conflict.

What is the church doing?

In 2011, country level workshops brought together faith leaders, NGOs, UN agencies and individuals together to understand more about SV in Rwanda and discuss and plan as to how faith communities could prevent and respond to the sexual violence at a local and national level.

In 2013, the Anglican diocese of Kigali and Gasabo started piloting community based programmes about sexual gender based violence in 10 churches and communities in Kigali and Gasabo dioceses, including:

training church and community focal points to raise awareness of sexual violence in the community,

providing basic counselling skills for church and community focal points

mapping community stakeholders (police, schools, health clinics etc) and identifying existing services in the communities who support and care for survivors of sexual violence,

National faith networks have also been mobilised and are working together to raise awareness about sexual violence during the 16 days of activism against gender based violence. They will work with the Ministry of Gender and other key stakeholders to raise awareness of violence against men, women, girls and boys.